


Victor All'amore

by moriartealeaves



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Classical Music, M/M, Role Reversal, Slow Burn, nodame cantabile au, yuuri is the prodigy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-05
Updated: 2017-09-02
Packaged: 2018-12-11 11:49:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11713812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moriartealeaves/pseuds/moriartealeaves
Summary: Yuuri is a piano major who desperately yearns to become a conductor, but his extreme phobia of aeroplanes grounds him in Japan. Victor, on the other hand, is a slightly air-headed piano student who just wants to settle down and become a kindergarten teacher, for God's sake. Follow these two on a journey as Victor reaches for his dreams and Yuuri learns that maybe there is a life outside of music after all.





	1. Manuscripted Hope And Legacies

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! This is my first time writing a story on a large scale as this, and I fully intend to make it a good one. So please bear with me should I be slow with updates. This fanfic is based on Nodame Cantabile, a Japanese manga/drama/anime about classical music, and it's really worth a watch!

_私はここで何をしているか？_

_What am I doing here?_

In a secluded room, Yuuri Katsuki’s head falls onto the cabinet he leans on. Most would be shocked at the sight of the renowned piano student on the verge of quitting. Quoting the ambitious Macbeth, “life’s but a walking shadow”, and it seems that the burnt out pianist shares the same views.

He idly strokes the pages of his score. Beethoven’s 7th Symphony. He was a child when he first heard it in person, with an attitude of one even younger still when he had met Lilia Baranovskaya. Sitting in the European concert hall, with all the music surrounding him, he felt surreal. If one had asked him to describe how he felt, he would have been at a loss for words. How would one describe music? Is it possible to articulate the different feelings music evokes in you? Is it possible to fully narrate the different sounds, timbres, rhythms, flourishes found in music, no two pieces alike?

Standing on the stage then was Lilia herself, feeling the music flow and ebb beneath her baton. She was unaware of Yuuri’s eyes on her, in fact, she was unaware of the audience scrutinising her every move. Her focus was on her orchestra. She supposed a conductor could be likened to a light house. In the daytime, it may not do much, but in times of need, it became a shining light meant to guide. A conductor guided her musicians along as they bobbed in the murky waters of ambiguous interpretation. A conductor helped them to truly express themselves, lured the audience into a trance of awe in which classical music, often considered a dying art form, was responsible.

Lilia put down her baton, and the whole orchestra froze. Deafening silence resonated in the hall, and after that, deafening applause. Beethoven’s 7th Symphony, what a beauty.

To say she was surprised when she ended up with a handful of an 11-year-old after the concert was to say the least. The 11-year-old was clutching a Tamagotchi, and stared at her with the wide eyes, filled with inspiration.

“Lilia-sensei! I want to be a conductor just like you!”

She gave a small smile. “Sure, what’s your name?”

“Yuuri Katsuki!”

It was truly a blessing to be able to see the motivation of Yuuri, and it brightened up her otherwise average days. Not to say that she did not like music, but by now she had learnt that despite music being a central part of her life, it should not be the central part of her life. All too soon, however, the Katsuki family had to move back to Japan. On their last day, she gave Yuuri a hug, while he attempted to hide his sadness.

“Lilia-sensei, I will become a great conductor someday! Until then, please make me your student!”

“Yuuri, you already are my student. Come back to Europe, yes?”

It was difficult to let go of a good student, and even more so to let go of one filled with passion. Despite the short month she had spent with Yuuri, she had already begun to feel attached to him.

_Goodbye, Yuuri._

In present day Japan, Yuuri recalls this with a tinge of regret. He puts his conductor’s score of Beethoven’s 7th Symphony away, and reluctantly stands up. He gloomily stalks off to Hasetsu Music Conservatory. It was unfortunate that this music school had strict requirements for conducting courses, needing prior conducting experience. This forced him to opt for the second best, majoring in piano. It pains him to see the conducting students learning more and more each day while he falls deeper and deeper into oblivion, letting what he could have had slip through the crooks of his defeated fingers. He had accepted that no matter how much he had read up on conducting, it would not help him against the conducting students, living in the now. That mentality does not make him feel any better. It certainly was a pity that they would not be able to have Lilia-sensei as a teacher, but what would she say of him now?

He opens the practice room door to see Yakov waiting impatiently for him. In his hand was a huge paper fan, for he is infamous for hitting students with that giant monstrosity whenever they are wrong. A harisen teacher, they call him.

“You’re late,” he grumbles.

Yuuri apologises curtly and sits down. Placing his books to one side, he opens up his score of Beethoven’s piano concerto in G. As anyone could tell, he is an ardent Beethoven fan. His fingers run on the keys as his mind wanders, wandering far far away to the shores of Europe.

_Whack!_

“Katsuki! Stop ruining Beethoven, and ruining my reputation as a teacher while you’re at it! Focus!” Yakov growls. Fuming, he catches sight of the restless conductor’s score on the piano, reaching for it and flipping through.

“Annotations? What are you, a conductor? Maybe if you took your lessons seriously instead of playing around, you would be someone greater by now!”

_Whac-_

“Don’t hit me.”

“If you don’t want me to hit you, then play properly!”

“A proper teacher would not hit his students during the lesson, neither does he mock them. I’m done.”

Yuuri hastily grabs his books and shoots Yakov one last glare before fleeing the room.

_So what if I want to become a conductor?_

Yuuri sighs and takes out a photo, yellow with age, from his wallet. This photo of himself and Lilia-sensei had accompanied him through his hopes, dreams, and harsh reality.

_I want to become something greater._

A comforting tune in the key of A flat major rang throughout the campus. Beethoven’s Sonata Pathétique, Adagio Cantabile. It was so unlike the other classical works that had graced Beethoven’s era, for this piece had a touch of romantic, heart-wrenching expression and emotion that seemed to reach out from Beethoven’s heart himself. Slow and steady, he thinks it might be enough to put his weary heart to rest. He breathes in deeply, almost as if he could inhale the very essence of the music.

_Flawless._


	2. Enter The Pianist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think that all my chapters will be quite short, so this means I might split one episode/chapter of Nodame Cantabile into three chapters. Do bear with me if there are any grammar errors (please tell me!) for writing in present tense is quite challenging! Also, I'll be kind of tweaking the characters to fit the yoi universe better

“Yuuri!”

Yuuri turns to the source of the voice, to see his best friend, Phichit. A tanned youth with a flair for rhythm, Phichit is perhaps the best timpani player Hasetsu Music Conservatory has to offer. Phichit is all sunshine and smiles, usually helping Yuuri feel safe.

Except now. Yuuri feels like utter trash.

Phichit senses the metaphoric storm cloud surrounding Yuuri and chuckles, dragging him to the nearby bar. The otherwise empty bar holds a spot in the music students’ hearts, taking them in when no other bar agreed to.

“So, I heard you were kicked out of Harisen’s classes?” Phichit starts, handing Yuuri a glass of champagne.

Yuuri kept mum, downing his glass in one shot.

“Someone said you yelled at him too, but you rarely lose your temper, what happened?”

“He mocked me, and asked me if I wanted to become a conductor.”

A tense silence overcomes the bar. It is true that Yuuri is normally a reserved, well-mannered student. Provoke him, however, he becomes a menace to deal with. Phichit knew better than anyone that becoming a conductor is Yuuri’s lifelong dream and passion. Yakov was a fool to have mocked someone as strong-willed as Yuuri.

“Understandable. But you still should apologise to him.”

“I have no wish to become a piano major, I’m not happy. I don’t want to be a performer, I want to be a part of something bigger than myself. With piano, all I care about is myself and my own playing. But as a conductor, I can do so much more. I can feel the music, and it’s calling out to me, don’t you understand, Phichit?”

Yuuri slumps onto the table and fiddles with his glass. Phichit does the same.

“Why not you just fly to Europe and find Lilia?”

_An emergency landing. Turbulence on the plane. The whole plane was shaking, lights flickering as though they were possessed. It was pitch black outside. Yuuri was scared, oh so scared. Screams everywhere, it was all too much, too much. A bottle of pills rolled onto the floor with a loud clink. He was falling, falling…_

“No.”

“By boat?”

_The raging sea spewed onto the windows of the ferry, giving Yuuri the fright of his life. Shouts of “Mayday! Mayday!” echoed from the captain’s deck, and Yuuri felt sick. The boat lurched, and so did his stomach. He was sinking, tumbling into the deep abyss of the ocean…_

The two questions hang in the air, and the table seems to experience some turbulence itself. The shaking of the table results in the dramatic clinks of the alcohol glasses. The bar could even form a wine glass ensemble now.

“No. Phichit, if I can’t do what I love, is there any point of me remaining in music?”

Phichit gasps. “No, you’re thinking of quitting music? But you practically eat, breathe, and shit music! I bet Beethoven plays whenever you take a shit, in fact!”

Yuuri sighs into his somehow newly refilled drink. “Nevermind, I’m heading home.”

Stumbling away, he ignores Phichit’s concerned glances. The walk to his dorm is a short one, with cold wind biting his face. How nice, it reminds him of the terrible reality he lives in. In this reality, perhaps he is never meant to succeed in his passion. Life seems to defeat him at every choice he takes. He knocks his head against his apartment door until he falls onto the floor in his drunken stupor. His throat constricts and he feels a sudden pressure on his nose. He knows this feeling all too well. Tears fall helplessly down his cheeks and he shuts his eyes. He does not shake, he does not tremble. He does not make a sound. It seems as though he will not move for a couple more hours.

The night stills.

Yuuri is not the only main protagonist of this story, however. Enter Victor Nikiforov, whose silvery hair flounces with every step he takes. Whistling a merry tune, it seems as though Victor’s life is a carefree one. So carefree, until coming across a drunk, passed out man in front of his apartment door is considered a shocking event.

“Hmm? Who is this?”

Victor holds up the man’s cheeks, staring intently into his sleeping features. He puts his finger onto his lips and thinks carefully.

“I know! He’s um… um?”

_What’s his name again?_

“Nevermind, he’s whatever-senpai now!”

 _Whatever-senpai_ shifts in his sleep, and mumbles something incoherently. This leads Victor to learn something new about himself. He will turn absolutely weak for handsome, sleeping, adorable men.

“Oh no, I can’t just leave him outside, can I? What do I do...”

Victor pouts, staring at his sleeping face once again.

“Ah! I’ll just bring him in!”

Victor fumbles for his keys, and drags _whatever-senpai_ into his apartment. Leaving him on the sofa next to his piano, he decides that that sleeping position should suffice. He loosens his tie and slips off his belt, hoping that that gesture will help him sleep soundly.

That night, Yuuri dreams of a silvered-haired angel with the same tune of Beethoven’s Pathetique Sonata’s Adagio Cantabile as its theme song. It? His? Her? Yuuri is not quite sure. However, what he is sure of is that the theme is getting louder, and more real in a sense.

In fact, so real that he could feel the deep echoes of the notes.

He opens his eyes, squinting against the unfamiliar environment. He finds himself in a very minimalistic apartment, devoid of, well, anything personal really. Whites, blues, and greys everywhere. That playing, however, that playing is beautiful. He recognises it as the comforting tune that ran through the campus yesterday. Now that it is louder, he realises that the pianist plays as though they are singing. Raw emotion was hard to come by, even in singing. How much more effort does it take to express one’s thoughts on a piano with a percussive nature?

The music stops.

“Now I remember, you’re Yuuri-senpai! Are you awake?”

“Huh?”

The silver-haired pianist flashes him a heart-shaped smile.

“Do you remember what happened last night?”

_Last night?_

Had anything happened last night? Just how drunk did he get? He was positive he had went home last night. A thousand thoughts ran through his mind, with a few scandalous ones involving the pianist with questionable intentions. He realises his tie is loosened and his face starts to grow red.

_I want to crawl under a rock and die._

“Um, thanks for letting me stay the night, but I really have to go.”

He makes a mad dash for the door and realises that he actually had went home last night. The only thing was, he had not made it into his house. There sits his door, right next to the door of the pianist’s. He opens his door and slams it.

Unbeknownst to Yuuri, Victor had followed him out and ended up with a bloody nose. As Victor clutches his bleeding nose, he also holds on to Yuuri’s belt that he had accidentally left at his apartment. He shuffles about in front of the door, and settles on handing it to him whenever they meet in school.

“I’ll get to see Yuuri-senpai again!”

A satisfied smile flies across Victor’s face, and he bounds back into his apartment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hit me up on my tumblr (@yuuris-hideous-necktie) for more stuff I guess!


	3. 台上一分钟，台下十年功

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title is a Chinese proverb meaning "one minute on stage is the result of ten years of hard work"

Hasetsu Music Conservatory. A vibrant school for music students only. At this time in the morning, many students lounge about the campus, lazily waiting for their classes to start. One would see percussion students laughing, and the occasional saxophonist teasingly playing “Careless Whisper” to woo hearts. One would, however, completely miss the presence of Katsuki Yuuri. Yuuri hardly ever participates in any of the social activities, always elusive, always unnoticed. 

Until today.

Victor skips into school with a purpose fresh in mind. To find his cute neighbour, and to return his belt. Not like anything had happened the previous night, but how Victor wish it had not been so! He brings his hands to his cold cheeks and scans the campus. Ah! He has located his target walking stiffly towards his classes.

“Yuuri-senpai! Your belt! You forgot it at my place last night!” he yells out. 

Perhaps Victor should not have said that, for now, eyes, ears, and instruments turn towards Yuuri. 

“Why would Victor have the Yuuri’s belt?” some question. 

“Did they… you know?” others mutter.

“Yuuri with someone like Victor? How surprising,” they giggle.

Yuuri freezes and clamps up. He faces Victor and takes a shaky breath. Victor smiles at him, as cheerfully as ever. Almost as if he had not just called attention to Yuuri for the first time in his schooling life. He has never felt so horrified and embarrassed in his recent memory. 

“It-it’s not mine! I’ve never seen it in my life!” he stammers.

Victor looks at him quizzically. 

“But I’m sure it’s yours, I took it off for you.”

Yuuri panics and bolts. Panting, he finally arrives at the school building and feels a vibration coming from his phone. 

_“I know u literally never read the notice-board but since u pissed off harisen, minako okukawa is now ur teacher. Ppl say shes the delinquent teacher for failures but idk? Room 282, have fun :p” _Phichit’s text reads. Him? A delinquent failure? This day is progressing from bad to worse.__

__

__He arrives at the room and peeps into the window. A bright teacher opens the room upon Yuuri’s timid knocking and introduces herself as Minako-sensei. She seats Yuuri down at one of the two grand pianos and hands him a stack of scores. Mozart’s Sonata for two pianos in D major._ _

__

__“Who is going to play the other part?”_ _

__

__Minako gives Yuuri a mysterious smile and sits down. Almost as if on cue, a silver haired figure bursts into the room._ _

__

__“Yuuri, meet Victor. He’ll be your duet partner for this term,” she starts. “Victor, you’ll be playing Pianoforte one. Yuuri, you’ll be playing Pianoforte two.”_ _

__

__Yuuri stares at Victor, wide-eyed in shock. Victor gives Yuuri another playful smile and shoves him his belt, which he could only accept._ _

__

__“But Minako-sensei, I’ve never played with anyone before,” Yuuri says._ _

__

__“Nonsense, I’m confident your leadership skills will pull through and guide Victor. You are the best pianist in this conservatory, aren’t you?” she retorts, sitting Victor down at the other grand piano and handing him his score. Victor looks absolutely thrilled to be playing with Yuuri, while Yuuri could only shudder._ _

__

_Leadership skills? _He could try, he supposed.__

____

___ _

___“Alright let’s begin!” Minako-sensei starts, clapping her hands together. “This piece has a rather quick tempo, so playing together will be quite difficult. Let’s take it at a relaxed tempo, hmm?”_ _ _

___ _

___Neither of them knows the piece, and trying to play is even more difficult. Yuuri hesitantly begins the first few measures while Victor excitedly plays. For awhile, it seems that they could keep up with each other. However, it does not last. While Yuuri reaches the fifth measure, Victor is quite possibly still behind._ _ _

___ _

___“Sorry, um, Victor. I can’t pinpoint on where exactly, but we’re out of sync already,” he politely says, stopping his playing._ _ _

___ _

___“Let’s try again?”_ _ _

___ _

___Victor nods and they start once again. However, this attempt is worst than the first and Yuuri starts to feel the tell-tale itch of irritation._ _ _

___ _

___“Victor, we’re not together,” he says, more annoyed than he should have sounded._ _ _

___ _

___“Oh bother, I’m not really good at reading notes,” Victor sighs while laying on top of the piano keys._ _ _

___ _

___“Then how do you play anything?”_ _ _

___ _

___Victor seems ecstatic to maneuver the topic towards himself. “Well, I just play by ear, it’s quite fun to improvise!”_ _ _

___ _

___“Victor has incredible hearing, he can memorise anything by listening to it once. However, this means he isn’t quite good at reading sheet music,” Minako-sensei adds._ _ _

___ _

___“But we have to play this now, could you please try at least?”_ _ _

___ _

___As if feeling the rising tension, Minako stops the both of them and dismisses them, calling it a day, leaving the room._ _ _

___ _

_Learning by ear, huh?_

____

___ _

___“Yuuri-senpai, we’re neighbours, aren’t we? Let’s go home together!” Victor exclaims._ _ _

___ _

___Lost in thought, Yuuri nods along._ _ _

___ _

___“Please, call me Yuuri,” he mumbles, walking beside Victor._ _ _

___ _

___“I have an idea. Would me playing the piece with you help you?” he asks._ _ _

___ _

___Victor laps up the idea and nods enthusiastically, dragging Yuuri to their dorm with more spring in his step. Opening the door to his minimalist apartment, Victor opens up his piano while Yuuri could only cringe at the memory of the last time he had been here. Yuuri takes Victor’s score and flips through, thinking about the best fingerings to use. He cracks his knuckles and starts to play._ _ _

___ _

___As the twinkling style of Mozart fills the apartment, Victor could only stare at Yuuri in awe. Yuuri did not know the piece beforehand, he admitted it himself. Yet he is now sight reading Victor’s part as though it is nothing. When Yuuri finishes, Victor showers him with applause._ _ _

___ _

___“Amazing! Everything was perfect, how did you play it on the spot?” Victor marvels._ _ _

___ _

___Yuuri gives him a small smile. “It’s not perfect, but you have to understand the context of the music and composer. Mozart is from the classical era, so he is fond of using scalar passages in his works. This means you have to know your D major scale well. The themes are closely related to each other too,” he explains._ _ _

___ _

___Victor ponders for a moment and sits at the piano when Yuuri moves away._ _ _

___ _

___“The book says this was initially a saloon song, Mozart seems like he would want you to have fun,” he muses._ _ _

___ _

___“Well, if you would like to think about it that way, then sure,” Yuuri replies, slightly thrown off by Victor’s thoughts._ _ _

___ _

___Victor readies his hands on the piano and takes a deep breath before diving into the piece. Yuuri notices that his eyes are not even looking at the score, intensely focusing on his fingers. Of course, there are still some parts where Victor slips, but overall Victor nearly replicates his playing perfectly. Victor breathes heavily when he finishes, satisfied._ _ _

___ _

___“Your hands are quite big, they’re good for playing Rachmaninoff’s difficult passages,” Yuuri remarks, breaking the palpable silence one feels in a concert hall._ _ _

___ _

___“Good for hand holding too,” Victor says cheekily._ _ _

___ _

___Yuuri tenses and blushes slightly. “Let’s work on the technical aspects, shall we? You have a good ear. It would be nice to prove that Minako-sensei isn’t an incompetent teacher, for you’ve got talent after all.”_ _ _

___ _

___Victor savours the compliment and becomes more determined than ever to practice with Yuuri. They work well into the night, neither stopping until Victor has played through the piece without stopping._ _ _

___ _

___Of course, Victor’s note reading abilities pose a challenge to Yuuri’s adept skill, thus the practice session seems as though it were Yuuri teaching Victor how to read notes all over again. Yuuri realises that Victor has something special. He cannot read notes, yet he somehow is in one of the most prestigious music conservatories in Japan. That is no easy feat. Yet Victor probably has never played together with anybody before, just as he has not. Minako-sensei must have chosen him to play with Victor of all people, for a reason. He is the only one who can match Victor’s style and playing._ _ _

______  
\---  


___As Minako listens to her student’s work after a mere day of practice, she feels a strange sense of pride. The students at this music conservatory were full of talent and life. Seeing Yuuri and Victor, two students with different learning styles, manage to work together gives her a strange sense of satisfaction. Once they finish, she stands up._ _ _

___ _

___“Great job, you both. Yuuri, I’m glad you have learned to support Victor’s playing. I knew you both would be compatible,” she teases._ _ _

___ _

___While Yuuri blushes (again), Victor claps his hands together and starts to play out a never heard before, quirky tune on the piano._ _ _

___ _

___“Victor, you may go, Yuuri, stay for awhile,” Minako says, shooing Victor out the room._ _ _

___ _

___“I’m not in trouble, am I?” Yuuri asks nervously._ _ _

___ _

___“No, you’re not,” she says, shaking her head lightly. “I hope playing with Victor has given you some more experience on a different kind of piano playing. A performance that touches a musician’s own heart is a performance well done. Victor is actually quite talented, but others don’t consider him as so because of his learning methods. I believe you have seen how he can memorise a piece by listening to it once? And just now, that was an impromptu composition. Don’t look down on him, will you?”_ _ _

___ _

___Yuuri nods. “I never have, he’s quite something.”_ _ _

___ _

___He fondly greets Victor who had been waiting for him outside the practice room._ _ _

___ _

___“Yuuri, let’s go home, I’m hungry,” he whines._ _ _

___ _

___“You don’t have food?”_ _ _

___ _

___“More like I can’t cook.”_ _ _

___ _

___“How have you been living all this time? Take-out is expensive. Come on, let’s go to my place. I’ll cook you Katsudon.”_ _ _

___ _

_I guess I still have things left to do in Japan._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hit me up on my tumblr (@knife-shces) for more stuff I guess!

**Author's Note:**

> Hit me up on my tumblr (@yuuris-hideous-necktie) for more stuff I guess!


End file.
